BIRMINGHAM — A 42-year-old woman from Russellville has been charged with multiple crimes related to identity fraud and illegal voting. Angelica Maria Francisco faces nine counts, including false claims of citizenship, passport fraud, and aggravated identity theft, according to U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Joseph R. Wysowaty, Resident Agent in Charge of the U.S. State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Atlanta Resident Office.
The charges stem from an investigation that revealed Francisco assumed the identity of a U.S. citizen around 2011. She used this false identity to obtain a U.S. passport, which she then used to travel between the U.S. and her native Guatemala in 2012, 2015, and 2018.
Francisco also used the false identity to register to vote in Alabama in 2016, participating in both the 2016 and 2020 primary and general elections. In 2021, she renewed her passport under this false identity and used it to travel to Guatemala again in 2022.
Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen, who initially raised concerns about illegal immigrants receiving voter registration forms, commended the investigation. “Ensuring that only eligible American citizens vote in Alabama elections is a top priority for my office,” Allen said. “I appreciate the efforts of the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in this matter and will continue to support law enforcement in prosecuting illegal voting to the fullest extent.”
Francisco is expected to enter a guilty plea, with the court to set a date for this. The investigation was conducted by DSS, with support from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the East Metro Area Crime Center, and the Alabama Secretary of State’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brett A. Janich is handling the prosecution.
The information filed includes only charges, and Francisco is presumed innocent until proven guilty.